The action returns to New York City this weekend with a stacked UFC 322 card that will also feature some huge championship fights.
In the headliner, Jack Della Maddalena makes his first defense of the UFC welterweight title against former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev . The co-main event will see Valentina Shevchenko put the UFC women's flyweight title on the line for the second time, as she takes on former two-time UFC women's strawweight champion, Zhang Weili.
Ahead of Saturday's card, we offer some bold UFC 322 picks for the big matchups this weekend.
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After back-to-back stoppage losses, against Charles Oliveira , and Arman Tsarukyan, in 2023, Beneil Dariush (23-6) bounced back to snap a two-fight losing streak. He defeated Renato Moicano by unanimous decision at UFC 317 in June. As he looks to remain in the win column, he'll face a tough competitor in Benoît Saint Denis (15-3) on Saturday.
The native of Nîmes, Gard, France, had a rough year in 2024, where he suffered two consecutive stoppage defeats, against Dustin Porier, and Renato Moicano. However, he is coming off two straight submission victories since then. Most recently when he submitted Maurício Ruffy in the second round at UFC Fight Night 258.
Neither of Saint Denis' 15 wins have gone to the judges' scorecards. With 11 of those wins coming by way of submission. Each of Dariush's six losses have all been called to a stoppage. It's clear why "God of War" is favored in this matchup.
Prediction:Saint Denis by submission
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"Rocky" previously reigned as the undisputed UFC welterweight champion, after he knocked out Kamaru Usman in a rematch for the 170-pound title at UFC 278 in August 2022. Leon Edwards (22-5) made two defenses of UFC welterweight title, against Usman in trilogy match, and Colby Covington, in 2023.
He is currently on an 0-2 skid, as he was dethroned for the championship title in a unanimous decision loss against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in July 2024. In March, Edwards then took a fourth-round submission defeat against Sean Brady at UFC Fight Night 255.
Prates (22-7) has won five of his last six fights, all by knockout. Following four consecutive stoppage wins since his UFC debut in 2024, he hit a setback with a unanimous decision loss against Ian Machado Garry at UFC on ESPN 66, in April. "The Nightmare" bounced back from the defeat with first-round knockout win against Geoff Neal at UFC 319 in August.
The former undisputed UFC welterweight champion Edwards is certainly a step-up in competition. With 17 of his 22 wins coming by knockout, Prates is a dangerous striker. Although Edwards hasn't lost a fight by knock out, Prates' power poses a real threat.
Prediction:Prates by split decision.
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The sole loss of Sean Brady's career came against Muhammad, who defeated him by second-round TKO at UFC 280 in October 2022. Following the loss, he has won three consecutive fights, including two by submission. In March, Brady (18-1) defeated Edwards by fourth-round submission at UFC Fight Night 255.
Michael Morales (18-0) has established himself as a promising prospect since his UFC debut in 2022. He is 6-0 since joining the promotion, with only two of those wins going the full distance. Morales is coming off two consecutive first-round TKO wins, and Performance of the Night bonuses in his last two fights.
The 26-year-old Morales has showcased his ability to finish opponents. But he still has plenty to prove at 170 pounds. A win against the UFC's No. 2 ranked welterweight in Brady will do exactly that.
In Brady's only loss, his chin was tested against Muhammad, who isn't known for overwhelming opponents with power. It remains to be seen how Brady's chin will fare up with a heavy-handed hitter like Morales. The native of Ecuador may not be favored in this matchup, but possesses the tools to pull off an upset.
Prediction:Morales by TKO.
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"Bullet" is in her second reign as the UFC women's flyweight champion. She defeated Alexa Grasso for the championship title by unanimous decision, in a rubber match at UFC 306 in September 2024. Valentina Shevchenko (25-4) is coming off a unanimous decision win over Manon Fiorot, in her first title defense at UFC 315 in May.
Zhang Weili (26-3) will make her 125-pound debut, where she seeks to capture a world championship in a second weight class. "Magnum" is a two-time UFC women's strawweight champion. In her third defense of the strawweight title, she defeated Tatiana Suarez by unanimous decision at UFC 312 in February. Following two losses against Rose Namajunas in 2021, Weili is on a win streak of five consecutive fights.
19 of Weili's 26 wins have come via stoppage. With 11 knockout victories, she has one of the best offensive skills among women competitors in the UFC. This co-main event is a must watch, where Shevchenko is the UFC's No. 1 ranked women's pound-for-pound fighter, while Zhang is right behind her at No. 2.
Prediction:Weili by TKO
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In May, Jack Della Maddalena (18-2) became the new undisputed UFC welterweight champion, with a unanimous decision win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. In his first title defense, he will take on former 155-pound kingpin, Islam Makhachev (27-1), on Saturday.
"JDM" has showcased his offensive abilities on the feet, with a relentless hands-free attack. The result? 12 of his 18 wins have come by knockout. However, he has been prone to takedowns, which was evident in his last two fights. He was taken down seven times, along with 5:07 of control time against Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 in March 2024. Muhammad managed to score three takedowns against Della Maddalena in his last outing.
This could prove to be costly against Makhachev, who has a takedown accuracy of 53%. The former undisputed UFC lightweight titleholder aims to become a two-division UFC champion in his welterweight debut on Saturday. Della Maddalena could present some challenges on the standup, which will likely be his best shot to retain the UFC welterweight title. However, if the fight goes to the ground, the defending champion may find himself in some serious trouble.
Prediction:Makhachev by submission.
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